Blueberry plant named &#39;carmen&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Blueberry cultivar is provided that is the product of a controlled breeding program followed by selection. The cultivar flowers early and forms fruit that ripens early. The attractive light blue firm berries exhibit an excellent fruity flavor, are easy to pick, and display a substantial post-harvest shelf life. The plant is self-fertile, and displays a strong generally round to vase-shaped growth habit with foliage that is partially retained during the winter. A low chilling requirement is also exhibited.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Vaccinium corymbosum L./Blueberry Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Carmen

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Blueberry cultivar of the present invention was the product ofcontrolled artificial pollination carried out in a greenhouse atGreenwood, Fla., U.S.A., wherein two parents were crossed whichpreviously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute thedesired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) wasthe unreleased ‘FL 92-84’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States).The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘FL 95-54’ cultivar(non-patented in the United States). The parentage of the new cultivarcan be summarized as follows:

‘FL 92-84’×‘FL 95-54’.

The seeds resulting from the pollination were shipped to Almonte,Huelva, Spain, where they sown during approximately 1997, small plantswere obtained which were physically and biologically different from eachother and selective research of the progeny was carried out. Selectivestudy resulted in the identification of a single plant of the newcultivar. Initially the plant was designated S01-13-08.

It was found that the new Blueberry plant of the present inventiondisplays the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) flowers early and forms fruit that ripens early,    -   (b) displays a strong generally round to vase-shaped growth        habit with attractive foliage that is partially retained during        the winter,    -   (c) is self-fertile,    -   (d) displays a low chilling requirement, and    -   (e) forms in abundance early in the season attractive light blue        firm berries that exhibit an excellent fruity flavor, are easy        to pick, and display a substantial post-harvest shelf life.

The new cultivar well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be grown to advantage for the commercial production of blueberries.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be distinguished from itsancestors and all other Blueberry cultivars known to its originators.When compared to the ‘Sharpblue’ cultivar (non-patented in the UnitedStates), the new cultivar partially retains its leaves during the winterat Almonte, Huelva, Spain, while the ‘Sharpblue’ cultivar commonlyundergoes complete defoliation. When compared to the ‘O'Neal’ cultivar(non-patented in the United States), the berries of the are lighter bluein coloration. When compared to the ‘Star’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,675), the growth habit of the new cultivar tends to be more roundedand less upright and commonly assumes a lesser height, and the fruit ofthe new cultivar commonly matures approximately two weeks earlier thanthat of the ‘Star’ cultivar. When compared to the ‘Blue Crisp’ cultivar(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,033) the new cultivar is less susceptible toRust. When compared to the ‘Biloxi’ cultivar, the new cultivar is moreresistant to Stem Blight.

The new cultivar has been asexually reproduced by the rooting ofcuttings beginning during the summer of 2001 at Almonte, Huelva, Spain.Such asexual propagation has shown that the characteristics of the newcultivar are firmly fixed and are stably transmitted from one generationto another. Accordingly, the new cultivar asexually reproduces in a trueto type manner.

The new cultivar has been named ‘Carmen’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show in color as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of thischaracter, typical plants and plant parts of the new cultivar. Theplants which had been asexually reproduced by the rooting of cuttingswere approximately five years of age, and were being grown outdoors atAlmonte, Huelva, Spain.

FIG. 1 shows during the fruiting season an overall view of a typicalfruiting plant of the new cultivar where berries are apparent.

FIG. 2 was obtained on Feb. 1, 2006 and shows the flowers of the newcultivar in various stages of maturity.

FIG. 3 was obtained on Mar. 27, 2006 and shows typical berries of thenew cultivar in various stages of maturity as well as typical foliage ofthe new cultivar.

FIG. 4 shows a closer view of typical berries of the new cultivar invarious stages of maturity as well as typical foliage of the newcultivar.

FIG. 5 shows a close view of the upper (adaxial) surfaces of typicalleaves of the new cultivar.

FIG. 6 shows a close view of the under (abaxial) surfaces of typicalleaves of the new cultivar.

FIG. 7 shows an array of the mature light blue berries of the newcultivar.

FIG. 8 shows a close view of the mature light blue berries of the newcultivar together with a basis for size comparison.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors described herein isthe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England. Ordinary color terms are to be accorded their customarydictionary significance. The description is based on the observation ofapproximately five-year-old plants of the new cultivar which had beenasexually reproduced by the rooting of cuttings while growing outdoorsat Almonte, Huelva, Spain.

-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—generally round to vase-shaped.        -   Height.—approximately 1.55 m at 5 years of age.        -   Width.—approximately 3.4 m at 5 years of age.        -   Foliage retention.—partial retention commonly of            approximately 60 percent during the winter at Almonte,            Huelva, Spain.        -   Chill requirement.—less than 300 hours.-   Foliage:    -   -   Shape.—elliptic.        -   Length.—commonly approximately 55 mm on average.        -   Width.—commonly approximately 30 mm on average.        -   Apex.—acute.        -   Base.—acute.        -   Margin.—entire.        -   Texture.—glabrous and non-glandular.        -   Color.—Green Group 137A on the upper (adaxial) surface, and            Green Group 138C on the under (abaxial) surface.-   Flowers:    -   -   Time.—early at Almonte, Huelva, Spain, with first flower            commonly at approximately November 25^(th), and 50 percent            bloom at approximately February 25^(th).        -   Number.—commonly approximately 6 flowers per bud on average.        -   Petals.—5 in number and fused into a corolla tube.        -   Fertility.—self-fertile.        -   Fragrance.—light.-   Fruit:    -   -   Time.—early, commonly from approximately March 7^(th) to May            25^(th) at Almonte, Huelva, Spain (i.e., approximately 10            weeks).        -   Shape.—generally flattened-round and somewhat pumpkin-shaped            (as illustrated).        -   Height.—commonly approximately 14 mm on average.        -   Width.—commonly approximately 20 mm on average.        -   Weight.—approximately 2.63 g/berry on average during 2007            when plants were 4 years of age.        -   Fruit scar.—approximately 1.35 mm in size on average.        -   Fruit scar tear.—approximately 5 percent.        -   Seed number.—commonly approximately 25 per berry on average.        -   Seed size.—commonly approximately 1.25 mm in length on            average and approximately 0.8 mm in width on average.        -   Immature color.—commonly near Green Group 130D with bloom            and Yellow-Green Group 145A without bloom.        -   Mature color.—light blue, Violet-Blue Group 97A and 97B with            bloom and Black Group 202A without bloom.        -   Productivity.—very abundant, approximately 3.43 Kg/plant on            average during 2007 when plants were 4 years of age.        -   Flavor.—excellent fruity flavor.-   Development:    -   -   Ability to store.—the firm berries are easy to pick, and            commonly display a substantial post-harvest shelf life. When            stored at 20° C., approximately 78 percent of the harvest            commonly is of good quality 7 days after harvest, and when            stored at 8° C., approximately 84 percent of the harvest is            of good quality 7 days after harvest.        -   Disease tolerance.—no special sensitivity to common            Blueberry diseases, such as Leaf Rust (Puccininastrum            vacinii) and Botrytis Blight (Botrytis cinerea) has been            encountered during observations to date at Almonte, Huelva,            Spain.        -   Insects.—is susceptible to aphids and thrips.        -   Cultural conditions.—does well in well drained soils in a            low-chilling area.

Plants of the ‘Carmen’ cultivar have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions to date, Accordingly, it is possiblethat the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in lightintensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmentalconditions without variance in the genotype.

1. A new and distinct Blueberry plant that possess the followingcombination of characteristics: (a) flowers early and forms fruit thatripens early, (b) displays a strong generally round to vase-shapedgrowth habit with attractive foliage that is partially retained duringthe winter, (c) is self-fertile, (d) displays a low chillingrequirement, and (e) forms in abundance early in the season attractivelight blue firm berries that exhibit an excellent fruity flavor, areeasy to pick, and display a substantial post-harvest shelf life;substantially as herein shown and described.